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Go to Frequently Asked Questions

Paul Van Helden Photography




Ask The Photographer - Below is a list of answers to frequently asked questions, but first a little bit about me…

I promise to keep it brief. I was born in Holland, the land of windmills, tulips and wooden shoes. With seven children in tow, my parents made the bold move of migrating across the pond to New England, when I was five.

Subsequently, I spent my youth and a good portion of my adult life, living just outside of Boston. Photography entered the fray on the eve of my 25th birthday. Like finally findng a wife , it just felt right.

During my stay in Massachusetts, I made frequent trips west, to Arizona. It was there that two of my siblings had relocated, after completing their respective tours of duty in the military. They laid the groundwork that was ultimately responsible in my moving to one of the most diverse and celebrated landscapes in the country. In 2004, after photographing over three hundred weddings throughout New England, I packed my camera bags and continued the migration further west, to Tucson.




 










Self Portrait 2009 - Paul Van Helden
Wedding Locations in Tucson

Since moving to the Arizona, I am closing in on having photographed almost two-hundred more weddings. The following is a partial list of venues in Tucson, I have had the pleasure of photographing weddings at: Arizona Inn, Corona Ranch, Davis Monthan AFB, Esplendor Resort, Hacienda Del Sol, Hilton El Conquistador, Heritage Highlands, Hotel Arizona, Hotel Congress, La Mariposa, Las Candelas, Manning House, The Oasis at Wild Horse Ranch, Oro Valley Country Club, Pantano Stables, Raddison Suites, Reflections at the Buttes, Reid Park Zoo, Saguaro Buttes, Savoy Opera House, Skyline Country Club, Starr Pass Marriott, Stillwell House, Tanque Verde Ranch, Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson Desert Museum, Tumacacori State Park, Ventana Canyon Resort, Westward Look Resort and the Z Mansion, to name a few. I have also photographed weddings at several church's and private residences in town. While familiarity has its benefits, I always look forward to new adventure, new places to use for backdrops.




Do you have a question? Ask the photographer.



Are you licensed to do business?

Absolutely. I have been fully licensed, since my business began in 1995. My current licenses are with the state of Arizona and, locally, with the town of Marana.

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Why do you specialize in weddings? 22

My motto has always been, stick to what you know and continuously strive to excel at it. Wedding photography is what I know and love to do. However, I am beginning to diversify, doing portraiture and the like. Probably my biggest mentor is Craig Roberts, who runs a portrait studio in Franklin Massachusetts. I was his assistant, in the early nineties, when he did weddings. He told me, "wedding photography encompasses just about everything there is, portraits, stills, candid, photojournalism. If you can learn to do it well, you can do just about any type of photography." In looking back, I would have to agree with that. The pace of wedding photography is so fleeting, that it makes taking portraits feel like a walk in the park.

My early interest in photography began as an expression of my love for the natural world. Nature Trail.

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How would you describe your photographic style?

Early in my career, I was taught the traditional storybook approach to wedding photography. The idea was to document the day as it unfolded in a story book way. The concept was good, but the method used required too much posing of the bride and groom, throughout the day.

I still document the day so that it tells the story but now use a much more easy-flowing approach. This gives my images a more natural feel and the bride and groom more opportunity to enjoy their day. Some posing and/or direction will always be necessary, especially with the group photos, but I try to keep it short and sweet.

In short, I would categorize my current style as a combination of modern-traditional, classic, candid and photojournalism rolled into one. Ultimately, how much or how little I utilize these styles is based on the feedback I receive from my clients, through the conversations we have and the questionnaires I provide.

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How much of your wedding photography is actually photojournalism?


A lot of photographers call themselves wedding photojournalist. I wonder if they even know what it is.

Photojournalism means that there is no posing or subject manipulation of any kind. Outside of New York City, I am not aware of any wedding photographers that shoot this way, exclusively. In its purest form, photojournalism implies that you are only photographing subject matter, that is unaware of the camera. In wedding photography, if a subject alters their natural behavior, even slightly, because there's a camera in the room, it is not photojournalism. Candid photography would be more accurate.

That said, the ceremony and reception portions of the day offer the best opportunity to take genuine photojournalistic type photos. I also try to put the bride and groom in situations that encourages them to be themselves and behave naturally. Although, that’s not really photojournalism, the end result often looks the same.

In general, I always strive to provide my clients with the right balance of all the different styles.

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Do you shoot digital or film?

I'm entirely digital now.

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What's better, film or digital?


There are minor pros and cons with each, but overall, I am of the opinion that digital has the creative edge.

I photographed with film for over twenty years. So, the fact that I am primarily shooting in digital now should speak for itself. I certainly would not be compromising quality.

If there is a downside to digital, it is that the photographer must spend a considerable amount of time in the digital darkroom, editing images. However, this is really one of the main reasons that digital photography is, in my opinion, better. Photographers can now exercise greater control over the final images. As in any field, the effort put forth, during this post production process, varies with photographers, which can translate into significant differences in the overall quality of their work.

As an added bonus, digital photographic processing is also much more environmentally friendly than traditional processes used with film.

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Do you shoot in color or black and white?

With digital, it really doesn't make sense to shoot in anything but color. You can easily convert color images to black and white or sepia tone in the digital lab afterwards. Conversely, it would be difficult and extremely time consuming to change a black and white image to color. So, by shooting in color, I'm providing my clients with more options.


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Do you have a studio or do you work out of your home?

Since I am primarily a wedding photographer and wedding photography is all done on location, there is no need to have a studio.

I have a sizable home office with several albums and wall prints for people to view. Having a home office allows me to serve my clients better. It also saves money, which I in turn can pass along to my customers.

On very rare occasions, someone questions how professional the product can be, if the photographer works from his home. Knowing what I know, I can't help but to chuckle at that. I have been in business for a long time. I started out working for a studio, almost twenty years ago. I'm certainly a much better photographer now, than I was then. LOL

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Where do your prices range?


To receive a complete price list, please take a few seconds to fill out my feedback form. We will email prices to you within 24 hours.

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What do you require to reserve the date.

First, I hope you understand, it is impossible for a professional wedding photographer to commit his or her services without a good faith deposit to reserve the date. That doesn't just work to the photographers favor, but the customers as well. How can you be assured the photographer is going to show up on your wedding day, if there is no commitment?

A $200 retainer is required to reserve the date and is applied to your package. The retainer is $450 for packages reserving 2 photographers.

When a couple books with me, it says a lot. It means they are putting their trust and faith in me. That helps to motivate me to do whatever I can to ensure they are not disappointed.

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What kind of payments do you accept?

Payments, related to packages and deposits, can be made with cash, check and all major credit cards, using our Paypal service. When prints are purchased through our on-line proofs storefront, all conventional credit card payments are accepted.

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Are you still available to photograph weddings in New England?

Most certainly! Since I moved to Tucson, I have already flown back to New England several times to photograph weddings there. Lodging is covered. Airfare is extra, but the overall cost is still competitive with area photographers.

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How long have you been photographing weddings?

After eight years of doing nature photography, I took my first wedding photos in 1990, while working as an assistant. The following year, I began shooting them as the primary photographer. So, I have been photographing nuptials in one form or other for about nineteen years. I have been in business for myself since 1995 (fifteen years).


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How does a question become a frequently asked question?



If I'm asked the same question more than twice, it qualifies.



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Bride and Groom walking to limosine.


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